Japan needs aid now

Japan needs aid now

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake, a 30-foot tall tsunami and a melting nuclear reactor are just the beginning.

Whole villages have been swept away. The power is out. Roads, airports and rail lines are all buried under water and debris, making logistics impossible. Food and water supplies are running low. Rebuilding will cost millions, if not billions, of dollars – and the Japanese Student Association is collecting donations.

They’ve been in the quad tabling and raised $3,317 its first day, a commendable effort. But, for every student that donates, far too many walk by, headphones in, sunglasses on, head down, completely oblivious.
Is this really how the SF State community is going to respond to a tragedy that could easily have happened right here?

We cannot let the apathy that has plagued our generation overflow into how we deal with this devastation. Sure, money is flowing into Japan from hundreds of countries and countless charities, but that doesn’t give students a right, or an excuse, to not give a few dollars.

Your donations would help Japan recover from a tragedy that grows worse seemingly by the hour.

Japan, a first-world country at the helm of modern technology, thought they were prepared for an earthquake. They had emergency supplies of food and water ready to be distributed. In fact, their buildings fared well when the initial quake struck. In the end, though, the tsunami, which overtook existing flood walls and overflowed protective channels, caused the most damage. Farmland was flooded with sea water, and thousands of homes have been reduced to splinters and rubble.

These people need our help.

Japan faces years of rebuilding, and won’t be able to do everything on its own. They are looking to the rest of the world for help. This includes us.

Maybe the reason the donations haven’t come in as fast as for other natural disasters is because Japan is such an advanced nation. But, despite their preparedness, the country is still in critical condition.

Obviously times are tough right now. We’re all facing increased tuition and fees. We’re all working, paying rent, and trying to make ends meet. But, if the situation was reversed, would you want Japanese students ignoring an American relief effort?